Hunter and Protector
by FengShuiNinja
Summary: Short Story, Nanami   Kinnison, Young romance, humour, NOT AU. Nanami goes to the training hall and sparks up a new friendship, amid the pain and suffering of the later dunan unification wars.


Characters, events, and locations (C) Konami 1999

contains plot spoilers and mid-late game content. Do not read if you haven't completed Suikoden II!)

Nanami ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at the knots and tangles. She sighed despondently. Being the older (adopted) sister of the leader of an entire army? Not all it was cracked up to be. The castle was... Nice, and she got to meet lots of interesting people, but she'd had enough of all the fighting. The war between the kingdom of Highland and the City State of Jowston had gone on for too long, and she had seen too many warriors fall on the battlefield. Looking out for Riou, her little brother, was no easy task. She studied her face in the dresser mirror, and sighed once more. She contemplated tying her hair back, but it wasn't quite long enough, and she liked the way it framed her round face. When it wasn't full of tangles and knots, that is. Nodding to herself resolutely, she pulled a pale blue ribbon from her drawer and tied it around her hair, pulling it tight and tying a neat bow beneath the bunch. She stood, stepped back, turned to face the full length mirror on the wall, and nodded once more in approval. Her tunic was freshly laundered, and it fitted perfectly. She started to walk out of her bedroom, turning once more to see the view from the back, picked up her blossom staff and closed the door behind her.

She made her way through North Window Castle, down the stairs, past the war room, down a long corridor and stepped into the barracks. Here was where the army trained, maintained their equipment, and slept. It was a fairly large room, well lit by large windows on both the east and west walls and kept warm in winter by a huge fireplace. She waved a quick hello to Hix and Tengaar, who were arguing in the corner as usual, exchanged a few brief words of gossip with Granny Taki, and skirted Richmond widely. He seemed to know everything about everyone. Nanami didn't like the idea of that. She turned down another flight of stairs and stepped through the doorway into the training hall, large enough to marshal an entire company. As she looked around, she saw the hall was almost empty, save for Kinnison in the far corner, with his wolf-dog, Shiro, at the other end. Nanami hadn't figured out yet if Shiro was Kinnison's pet, friend, partner, or something crazy like a spirit brother. All she knew was that they were rarely apart for long.

Nanami stood for a moment and watched. The 18 year old hunter was highly skilled with his bow. He stood with his legs apart, his shoulders held high and proud, his bow in his left hand. With his right, he reached past his shoulder and pulled an arrow out of the quiver. Twirling it deftly in his fingers, he nocked it to the bow, resting it on his index finger, and drew the arrow back with all his upper body strength. He canted the bow to one side, sighted along the shaft, and loosed his payload. It flew across the entire hall in seconds, and as Nanami's head snapped to the right to follow, the arrow was overtaken by a large white blur. Suddenly the blur twirled in mid-air and re-focused into Shiro, landing on all fours with the arrow in his teeth, and a smug look in his bright golden eyes.

"Not bad for a 9-year old," called Kinnison. He was laughing, as he walked to the centre of the hall. Shiro padded softly towards him, and Nanami followed suit. Shiro dropped the arrow on the floor, and both of the teenagers reached down for it at once. Nanami grabbed it first, and straightened up instantly, almost spearing Kinnison in the process. She blushed, dropped the arrow, and babbled an endless stream of apologies as she cringed with shame. Kinnison laughed again, his bright blue eyes sparkling with happiness. He crouched down, picked up the arrow softly, and held it to his right eye, sighting along the shaft. He frowned for half a second as he noticed a few scratches in the centre, where Shiro's fangs had gripped it too hard, but his smile returned as fast as it had vanished.

He looked down at his companion and said "Good job this isn't one of my best arrows, Boy. At least I'm going to the Fletcher tomorrow." He turned to Nanami and smiled again. "Are you okay? You didn't gut me with the arrow, so no harm, no foul, yeah?"

Nanami stood and breathed slowly for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm sorry about that; I'm not really on top form at the moment. That's why I came down here, to try and clear my head."

"Are you ill?" Kinnison asked her, a concerned look about his fair features.

"No, I'm not ill, it's just so..." she trailed off, but then her tongue came to life on its own. "So weird! Being here, in this castle, with all these battles, and duels, and every day there's a new threat, and someone else is in Dr Huan's waiting room, and Lord Shu starts getting all grim, and, and..." She stopped once more, and looked down at her feet, then back up at Kinnison. "I'm sorry," she apologised yet again, "I didn't mean to let loose on you like that. You probably have no idea what I mean, anyway. I just want to go back to my old life in Kyaro..."

"Are you kidding me?" Kinnison cut her off. "I hate sleeping in a wooden bed, in that cold stone room, away from my forest, and the stars. I was born in the woods, Nanami, I was raised there, and it's where I learned to hunt, to care for nature, and where I met Shiro. And then that bastard came along..."

"Which bastard do you mean?" smiled Nanami, "There's more than a few to choose from."

"Blight... Luca Blight." He spat the name out as though it were venom. "The name fits him well; he truly was a blight upon nature and man alike."

This was the longest conversation Nanami had had with Kinnison since they had met, running from Viktor's fort as it burned to the ground. With the explosions behind them, Nanami had barely noticed how handsome the young bowman really was. He was lean, yet still muscular, just on the very cusp of manhood. His dark hair fell softly above his cobalt eyes, almond shaped and welcoming, with slightly darker eyebrows above. The combination was even more striking against his pale skin. There was no sign of stubble on his chin, and his skin was smooth, although there was a long, thin scar running from below his left ear, down his neck and disappearing under his tunic.

"I never realised you felt that way, Kinnison. I thought it was just me that couldn't stand it here. If you're so unhappy too, how do you keep smiling all the time?"

Kinnison grinned. "Simple. I just keep reminding myself that if I hadn't gone with Riou, if I was still in Ryube forest, I'd probably be dead. One of my arrows might have pierce Luca Blight's throat for him, too." He looked grim and ran a finger along his scar, absent-mindedly.

"Do you think you could have killed him? I don't think I could..." Nanami asked, tentatively.

Kinnison looked resolute. "I don't know. But if I'd have ever gotten the chance, I would have given it my best shot. Pardon the pun.

Nanami groaned at the joke, then realised it was Kinnison's way of keeping his own spirits up. She looked down at Shiro, and his eyes met hers. They burned with an intelligence she'd never seen in an animal before, but then again, the powerful young beast was no ordinary animal. She reached a hand down slowly to pat his head, and he nuzzled her fingers gently. "That's odd," said Kinnison, quietly, "Hannah tried that yesterday, and he nearly took her hand off. He must like you."

"He tried to bite Hannah? But she's so good with dogs!"

Shiro yelped and jumped backwards, as though Nanami had hit him, and Kinnison rushed to his side. "He's not a dog, Nanami, he's a wolf-dog!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to offend him! Can you apologise to him for me?"

"If you want to, you can apologise to him yourself. He's smarter than he looks!" Kinnison smiled once more, clearly enjoying the moment.

Nanami turned to face Shiro, and knelt down, beckoning to him. "I'm sorry, Shiro. I didn't mean to call you a dog; I know you're so much more than that! I don't think a dog could catch arrows like you do! Please, will you forgive me?" Shiro padded towards her, nodded his head once, then placed it gently on Nanami's knee, and looked up at her, indicating she was forgiven and could resume her ministering to his ears.

Kinnison laughed again. "He'll be fine once he's had his ears tickled enough. He might not BE a dog, but he's got plenty of dog in him! He just doesn't like being reminded. It's strange, isn't it, how little things like that can throw everything else out of proportion?"

"I know EXACTLY what you mean!" Nanami smiled properly for the first time that day, since waking at dawn, four hours ago. "Yesterday morning, I went to Hai Yo's place, and he was out of EVERYTHING! All he had left was spinach, and I can't STAND spinach! And the whole day, I was miserable! Riou was no help, either! He kept muttering something about wanting to go to Kuskus with Anita, Rina, Eilie, Hannah, and Tengaar! I wasn't having that, though!"

Kinnison chuckled. "Well, you seem to be in much better spirits now. Do you still want to train? I was just starting myself when you came in, and it would be good to spar with a different partner. Keep me sharp, as it were." At this, Shiro's ears pricked up, and he growled softly. He clearly didn't like the sound of this new plan. Kinnison knelt down and ruffled Shiro's mane, his fingers scratching the skin underneath playfully. The wolf-dog growled again, happier this time, and he lay down, then rolled over so Kinnison could tickle his belly. "He's a cheeky one, but he knows damn well that I'll do it anyway! Go on, Shiro, Go and find Gabocha and annoy someone! You know you always enjoy that!" With a bark and a jump Shiro was out of the door, leaving the two humans alone.

Kinnison stood and stretched, then picked up his bow again. "Shall we?"

Nanami retrieved her blossom rod, shook it out and swung it around her body a few times, every motion as smooth as silk and as precise as an artist's brush strokes. She pirouetted with the rod flailing in all directions, then came to a sudden stop in her usual stance, the rod held out in front of her defensively, slightly crouched. She smiled at Kinnison, confident in her skills. "We shall."

Kinnison took another arrow from his quiver, unscrewed the head, nocked it and aimed at the wall to the left of Nanami. She lowered her rod and scowled at her opponent. "Do it properly or don't do it. You won't touch me, trust me." Kinnison shrugged, screwed the head back on, and re-sighted, this time aiming for Nanami's chest. She smiled, and as she raised the rod again, her shoulders went back and her chest rose. Kinnison, staring intently at his target, couldn't fail to notice. He swallowed, breathed deeply, and drew back the arrow. He let it fly, and when it was inches from body, Nanami flicked her wrist. The rod's centre section dropped and then rose suddenly, catching the arrow head right on its point. The sudden force caused the arrow to spin and turn back on itself, heading directly to Kinnison's heart. In a flash, his bow twisted, knocking the arrow once more from its destination, and it clattered to the floor, harmlessly. Kinnison looked at Nanami's sweet innocent smile, and grinned back.

"You're good. Try this on for size, then!" He reached behind himself again, and his hand flew back in a blur and before Nanami knew what was happening, two arrows were heading towards her. She smiled and twisted her rod again, catching both arrows from different directions. One flew straight through a thin slit set high up in the east wall, and the other buried itself in the floorboards between Kinnison's feet.

"Okay, Okay. I changed my mind! You're not good, you're amazing! Where did you learn to do that?"

"Grandpa Genkaku taught Riou and me to fight," explained Nanami, "and I've been practising since I was shorter than Shiro!"

"Speaking of which, I should probably go and find him. He gets shirty if he's away for too long..."

"I'll come too! I'll help you find your arrow, too! I think it might be somewhere near Jeane's Rune Shop... or maybe Lebrante's place...

Kinnison picked up the two arrows on the floor, replaced them in his quiver, and packed his bow in with them. He slung it on his back and shifted the weight so it wouldn't bang against his shoulder when he walked. Nanami folder up her rod, and wrapped a short length of cotton around it, from a reel in her pocket. She snapped it off and put the reel away, then shouldered the rod and followed Kinnison out into the warm sunshine.

As they walked down the path from the dojo to the main street, they chattered animatedly. Turning the corner, Nanami scanned the street and saw Jeane's rune shop. Across the street was a dilapidated empty shell of a building, halfway through being transformed into a new boutique. A small crowd of builders was gathered around a angry man in a beige robe who had been pinned to the door frame he was leaning against by his sleeve, Kinnison's distinctive flaxen flights marking the owner of the offending arrow.

"Zamza!" Cried Nanami, "Are you okay?"

The mage tugged at the arrow ineffectually. "I would be, if I wasn't attached to this!"

"Hold still a moment, the point's barbed," Said Kinnison. He gripped the arrow shaft tightly, and began to twist it. It unscrewed in a few seconds, and slid out of the hole in Zamza's robe. As Zamza moved his arm away, the crowd saw the arrowhead buried half an inch deep into the wood, a cruel barbed iron point, clearly designed for one thing only.

"Why were you firing these off in the castle grounds?" asked a builder angrily. "You know Lord Shu's rules. Sparring weapons only in the grounds."

"And what, pray tell, does a 'sparring arrow' look like?" inquired Kinnison. "I could put a cork on the end of it? Or perhaps we should weave them out of cotton?"

"That's not the point, and you know it." The voice was stern, and came from behind. He turned to see Lords Shu and Ridley, flanked on both sides by two soldiers, and a familiar, if rather downcast, pair behind them. "Now, if would you all be so kind as to accompany me inside, I would like to talk to you."

The unusual group walked quietly up the street, and into the castle. They passed Tetsu's bath house, Hai Yo's Kitchen, and Tony's garden, before stopping in a quiet, empty room. It looked as though a stage was in the process of being built.

The tactician seated himself upon a crate, his general stood behind him. The kobold officer waved to the guards, who left them alone. Shu looked sternly at the four youngsters in front of him for a few moments, before he began.

"There I was, in my study, trying to work out the best way to win this war, and what am I presented with? A young Kobold warrior, armed heavily with a slingshot, terrorising my war room. And what was he doing with his slingshot, I hear you ask? That's an interesting question. I believe he was launching meatballs, and Shiro was attempting to catch them. Now, I have nothing against soldiers eating, or enjoying themselves. HOWEVER, I would rather NEITHER happened again in my war room. Do I make myself clear?" He had turned to face Gabocha and Shiro by now, who were both looking suitably abashed.

Gabocha nodded. "Gabocha is sorry, Lord Shu. Gabocha was just having fun with Shiro. But Gabocha won't do it again." Nanami smiled at the little kobold's funny way of speaking, a trait he shared with his brother, Captain Gengen. Shiro put his head on the ground and crossed his paws over his snout, clearly apologetic.

"Very well, Gabocha, I accept your apology. Now, please go with Lord Ridley, I believe he has a task for you. Complete it well for him, and we shall say no more about this." Gabocha nodded and turned to follow his liege-lord, his tail wagging behind him as he walked.

"As for you, Kinnison, I would like you to try and keep a better handle on Shiro's behaviour. The last thing I want to have to do is punish anyone, least of all one of my bravest warriors. But, if our bravest warrior continues biting, barking throughout the entire night, and stealing scraps from Hai Yo, he will be muzzled and leashed whilst in the castle grounds. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Lord Shu. But please don't punish Shiro. I think it was my fault. I told him to go and blow off some steam while I trained with Nanami in the dojo."

"Ah yes, the Dojo. This brings us back to the other reason we are gathered here. Thank you for reminding me. As the builder pointed out to you, I have decreed that only sparring weapons should be used for training. Do you know WHY this rule is in effect?"

"To stop people getting hurt, my lord?"

"My goodness me, no. This is a castle, you are in an army, and we are at war, Kinnison. I expect each and every one of you to get hurt. No, it is to stop people getting hurt unnecessarily by their own comrades. And for the record, I know you can remove the tips from your arrows. Why were you using them?"

"I wasn't at first, but..." He trailed off, not wanting to complete the sentence.

"But I told him to do it properly or not to do it at all!" Nanami blurted it out, then turned bright red as she realised she had now got herself into trouble with the others.

"You told him to 'do it properly'? Explain yourself, Nanami."

Nanami recounted the events inside the dojo, leaving out the bit where Shiro had been expressly told to annoy people, and finished lamely with "So I guess it's my fault Zamza's robe is torn and the war room's covered in meatballs."

"I see. I see. In that case, you put me in a difficult position, Nanami. If it were anyone else, I would not hesitate to sentence them to fifty lashes. However, the morale would plummet if our leader's sister was tied to a stake and then beaten. And, you not only owned up to your doings, you did so willingly and to keep your friends from being treated unjustly. Very well. Nanami, Kinnison, and Shiro. For your actions, I can only think of one suitable course to take. The three of you are gated. You will not leave this castle, except to accompany Lord Riou, for the next week. Is that clear?"

Kinnison was first to respond. "Yes, my lord. I'm sorry about what happened. Might I be excused, now, Lord Shu? I need to find Zamza and find out how much his robe will cost to repair."

Shu smiled at Kinnison. "I wouldn't bother yourself about that, my lad, Zamza, for all his faults, is an exceptional mage. That robe of his will be in perfect condition by now. Although, he might appreciate a bottle of wine or something similar. Why not ask Leona, she usually has a few bottles of Kanakan put aside. Now, you three should probably go out into the sunshine and enjoy your punishment properly." With that, he stood, turned, and walked out of the room.

"What did he mean, enjoy our punishment?" Asked Nanami, as they walked back downstairs.

"Nanami, we've been gated. In a castle. We have everything we need right here. We don't NEED to go anywhere. And, as he said, if we do want to go anywhere, we just have to go with Riou. Shu's let us off pretty lightly, I should think. I owe you one."

"Me? Why?" The girl looked puzzled.

"Were you listening to Shu? Like he said, you're Riou's sister. He can't punish you. If you hadn't told him it was your idea, I'd already be tied to a post without a shirt. And as for Shiro..." He stopped. Just hearing the word muzzle was bad enough. He couldn't bring himself to utter it out loud.

"I guess you're right. You DO owe me one. So, where are you taking me?"

"What do you mean, where am I taking you?"

"I mean, you owe me. And I'm bored and hungry. So, where are you taking me?"

"Hmm. Let me think for a few moments." They had just passed Tetsu for the second time that day, when Kinnison's eyes lit up and he stopped. "I've got it. Meet me outside the dojo in half an hour. Okay?" He didn't even stop for a reply as he doubled back on himself and dashed up the stairs they had just come down. Shiro ran to Nanami, licked her hand, barked, and followed Kinnison. Nanami sighed, and carried on walking outside.

As she walked down the cobbled street, she could hear chattering all around, but it all seemed distant. She didn't pay any attention to the crowds thronging the street, as she trotted around the corner, and the storehouse. She walked briskly between the crates and barrels, to the lower hall, then broke into a run as she passed Viki, flew past Luc with his strange stone tablet, and up the steps to Adlai's elevator. She rode it to the top floor, and ran into her room.

As she scrabbled for a hairbrush, she looked into the mirror and tried to decide if she should change or not. Probably not. Besides, she was meeting Kinnison in less than twenty minutes, and didn't want to be late. She settled on dragging the brush through her locks, this time not tying her hair back, and straightened her tunic. She looked at the surface of her desk, and espied a bottle of scent she had been given by a boy back in Kyaro. She shook the bottle and dabbed a few drops on her wrists, rubbing them together and then applied a few drops behind her ears.

Leaving her blossom rod hanging on the wall by her bed, Nanami walked out the room, and rode the elevator back down to the first floor. She dashed through the hallway, back the way she had come, through the storehouse, and out into the open air. Turning to her right, she shot along the path to the library. Scanning the horizon as she went, Nanami couldn't make out any sign of Kinnison or Shiro, and she slowed down as she reached the barracks and Dojo. She stopped and sat down on the dry grass, leaning against a rock, and watched a Winger as he stood at his post.

Nanami had barely been sitting for a few minutes when Shiro bounded out of the dojo, a large wicker basket in his mouth. The handle had been wrapped in cloth to protect it; it wasn't as strong as Kinnison's arrow shafts. Kinnison appeared in the doorway, and walked down to meet Nanami. For the first time, he wasn't wearing his quiver. Instead, he had a bottle in one hand, and 2 glasses in the other.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Nanami, Leona couldn't find the right bottle."

"Right bottle of what?" Nanami asked.

Kinnison held up his right hand in answer, turning the bottle to show the label. "Zexen's finest export," he said, "Strawberry and Lime flavoured mead. Have you ever tried it?"

"No, never. What's it like?"

"Wait and see! Come on, this way!" He started off, towards the pool in front of the barracks. Nanami stood and followed, with Shiro bringing up the rear, still carrying his basket. Shiro dropped the basket next to the pool, and retreated into a patch of sun, rolling around on the grass.

Kinnison placed the bottle and glasses next to the basket. He unwound the cloth from the handle, revealing it to be a blanket, and he spread it over the grass. Sitting down, he motioned for Nanami to join him, and he reached for the glasses. Uncorking the bottle, he sniffed the fragrant aroma, and proffered it to Nanami. She leaned forward, inhaling the delicate scent from the bottle, and her mouth started to water.

"That smells delicious! I can't wait to try it!" Kinnison tipped the bottle, pouring a generous measure into each glass, and handed one to Nanami. She took it from him, blushing imperceptibly as his fingers brushed hers. She touched the lip of her glass to his, and then pressed it to her mouth, taking a sip. The mead was stronger than she expected, but its thick honeyed notes were noticeably lightened by the addition of the fruits. It flowed down her throat like molten gold, and warmed her body from the inside.

"What do you think?" asked Kinnison, already knowing the answer from the sparkle in Nanami's eyes and the red glow on her cheeks.

"I... I... I've never tasted anything this nice! It's utterly amazing. Where did you find this?"

"A trader, on his way from Zexen to Highland gave me some once, in return for helping him through the forest. His cart had run into a pothole and broken its axle, so I cut a temporary one from a yew tree. It lasted long enough to see him through the other side, and he was so grateful he left me an entire barrel. I think that first barrel lasted me about two days and the hangover an entire week."

"Hangover!" How strong is this stuff?" Nanami look worried, she had never really gotten drunk before, let alone drunk enough to suffer the day after!

"Relax, a few glasses won't hurt. I just... Over-indulged, and didn't know my limits. I've learnt since then. Plus, a full stomach will soak it up." He reached for the basket, and pulled it towards him. Inside was a small mountain of parcels, each individually wrapped. He picked one up and handed it to Nanami. "Close your eyes, open this, and take a bite. Tell me what you think of it."

Nanami placed her mead on the blanket and closed her eyes. She fumbled with the parcel, and eventually managed to open it. Inside was something firm, but she could feel it had a soft centre. Lifting it to her mouth, she could tell that whatever it was, it was wrapped in pastry, and she could smell something else, something familiar, but she couldn't place it. There was a smell she knew, and one she didn't, and together they made a totally new aroma, inviting, and delectable. She took a bite of the unknown snack, and chewed, letting the flavours roll over her tongue. It was savoury, earthy, and full of flavour, but not overpowering. The soft texture of the filling complemented the crunchy pastry perfectly. Nanami swallowed. Opening her eyes, she looked down at what she had bitten. The centre was a dark green mixture, marbled with creamy white, tightly packed into a pastry case shaped like a half moon. "It's absolutely wonderful; Kinnison, but I have no idea what it is! What is it?"

"That's Hai Yo's famous Spinach cake. Spinach and goats cheese." He replied softly, with a sly grin.

"Spinach? Spinach? I'm eating spinach?" Nanami howled.

"No, you're enjoying spinach. You just said it was wonderful."

"Well, yes, but... that's not fair! You tricked me!"

"No, I didn't trick you; I just made you use all your senses. You don't like spinach because you've never had it cooked the right way for you. Because you didn't know it was spinach, your tongue decided to find out what it was for itself. And because your eyes were closed, you could feel, smell, and taste everything."

Nanami looked down at the parcel, and shrugged. Lifting it to her soft lips once more, she took another bite, chewing slowly and thoughtfully. "Maybe you're right. Maybe." She carried on eating.

Kinnison let out his familiar laugh once more, and nodded in agreement. "Maybe I am. Try another one, they're all different. There's no more spinach ones, though."

Nanami looked sadly at the crumbs left in the wrapper of the one she had just demolished. "That's too bad. I think I've decided I like spinach!"

Kinnison reached into the basket again, this time pulling out a large star shaped parcel and a smaller round one. "This one's a sashimi bento, or would you like to try gourmet ramen?"

"Gourmet Ramen? How do you make ramen gourmet?"

"I'm not sure, but Hai Yo guards his recipes very carefully. Have you tried his 'Amazing Tempura'?

"Yeah. It's ok, I wouldn't call it 'amazing', though."

"Neither would I, but he's the chef, he gets to write the menu!"

"Fair enough. In that case, I'll try the Gourmet ramen." Kinnison unwrapped the ramen and handed Nanami the bowl. It was still warm, and Nanami raised it, tasting the broth. It was thicker than usual, and creamier, but tasted ok. Kinnison handed her a pair of chopsticks, and she began to eat the noodles, as he opened the sashimi bento box. He carefully unwrapped the furoskhiki cloth and spread it over the blanket, then placed the black lacquered star on the cloth. He produced another pair of chopsticks, and slowly began to pick at the sliced fish.

"I can't decide if he uses too much salmon, or not enough mackerel," he mused. "What do you think?"

"Mmmpphhff?" replied Nanami, as she hurriedly swallowed a large chunk of char sui she had forgotten to chew. She gasped and reached for her mead, to help it down, but choked. Suddenly, Kinnison was behind her, helping her to her feet, his hands supporting her arm. Spreading his fingers wide, he slapped her squarely between the shoulder blades, and she squealed. He brought his band back for another attempt, and this time, the impact did the trick. The piece of pork dislodged from Nanami's throat, flying over the grass to the pond, where it was snapped from the water by a passing hungry pike.

Kinnison reached into the basket and uncorked a bottle of water, which he poured into a fresh glass for Nanami. "Here," he said, "drink it slowly. Are you alright?"

Nanami sat down again and paused for a moment, breathing slowly. "Yes, I'm fine, thanks. You saved my life!"

"You saved my back from being ripped off by Shu. Fair's fair." He smiled that smile again. Nanami was beginning to like it more every time she saw it.

"No, the picnic was in exchange for the owning up. Now I owe YOU one." Nanami smiled back at Kinnison. To her surprise, he smiled even more, and he even blushed slightly.

"I'll bear that in mind. My quiver could do with a polish, I've a few arrows that need re-fletching, and my boots are a little muddy..." He mused to himself, chuckling softly. Nanami scowled and stuck her tongue out at him, which sent him into peals of laughter. The infectious sound soon wormed its way into Nanami's ears, and she found herself joining him in no time at all.

Nanami opened her eyes and blinked. It was almost dark, and there was a cool breeze wafting through the trees around the empty square, and a low sawing sound emanating from somewhere. She sat up, and glanced around her. To her right was the pond, she was still on the blanket, with the picnic basket. The bottle of mead was empty, the basket full of nothing but bamboo leaves and paper wrappings. "Kinnison?" Called Nanami softly, "Kinnison, are you still here?"

"I'm right here, Nanami." She looked around again, and realised she had totally missed him in her inspection. He was sat just behind her, to the left, Shiro's head in his lap. The docile beast was asleep, and even snoring.

"Oh, there you are. And that's what the noise is. What happened?"

"What happened? Have you ever drunk three quarters of a bottle of mead in less than ten minutes before? And if you want to talk about noise, Shiro's snores are virtually silent compared to someone else around here!" He grinned at her to show he was only joking, and she smiled for a moment, while she realised what he had just said.

"I... drank all that?"

"Most of it. You gave Shiro some too, and he's not going to be thinking straight when *he* wakes up, either."

"Oh. Oh dear. Poor Shiro. Would it help to put him to bed somewhere?"

"No, he'll only wake up if we try and move him, and then he'll just be awkward and want to play."

"You sound more like his father than his owner, when you say things like that."

"I know, but I can't help it. I don't own him, he's not my pet. He's my friend. Hell, he's my only family. I raised him, protected him when he was a pup, and he kept me company, helped me find food, earn a living. He's everything to me, he's my entire world. And yet... he drives me absolutely crazy with his antics! When I told him to wind someone up, I didn't expect him to have a food fight in the war room and annoy Shu!"

"Now you're beginning to sound like you're married to him!"

"Heh, he's better looking than my ex-girlfriend," Kinnison muttered darkly, "and he has better breath!"

"Y-your ex? I didn't know you had an ex?" Nanami asked, nervously.

Kinnison laughed softly. "Loads of people have an ex. In fact, most people have a few. Haven't you?"

"No, I, I, well, err..." Nanami struggled to find the right words. Why had she never been out with a boy? There had never been time, of course, with looking after Riou, trying to run Grandpa Genkaku's Dojo after he passed away, keeping up with her training, and so on... So many reasons, but were they valid ones? "I guess I just never made time for a boyfriend," she finished.

"That's too bad. You'd make someone a great girlfriend, you know?"

"R, really? You think so?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Thanks, that's sweet of you. You're such a nice person, Kinnison. You really are."

"I'm a simple woodsman, I just say it like I see it, Nanami. Nothing more than that."

By now, without realising it, they had shuffled closer together. Nanami leaned back slightly, and felt Kinnison behind her, still with his legs crossed. She hesitated for a moment, but decided to try her luck. She leaned back further, and found no resistance from Kinnison, and she rested her head on his knee, opposite Shiro.

"Maybe, but all that effort you went to for a picnic? That's more than just being a simple woodsman. That's being a simple woodsman with a big heart."

"And great taste in dinner dates..." Nanami looked up at this, her eyes snapped open, and she saw Kinnison's blue eyes looking down at her. She reached her hand up, and pressed it into his.

"Kinnison..." She whispered. "This feels so good, I could just sleep here forever. I don't want to go back onto the battlefields... I'm scared of all the fighting, all the killing. Why can't it just stop?"

"Soon, Nanami, Soon. Tinto are fighting with us, Greenhill is free again, and even Muse has been brought back under State control. And tomorrow, your brother marches on Rockaxe Castle. When I first met Lord Riou, he was just a kid who was kind to birds. And look at him now! Even Georg won't spar with him, he's grown so strong! If anyone can put an end to this war, all this senseless killing, Riou can."

"I know, I just with it wasn't my little brother who had to do it. And I have to look out for him!"

"Nanami, He can look out for himself. He doesn't need you to protect him all the time. Why not stay behind tomorrow? Why not stay... with me?"

"I can't! I have to look after Riou! I can't let him go wandering off into Matilda on his own!"

"I'd hardly call a few thousand troops 'wandering on his own', Nanami. He's currently the best protected person in the entire city-state of Jowston. I mean it, Stay here, with me. I have this terrible feeling about that place."

"Well, that settles it. I HAVE to go! If you've got a feeling something bad is going to happen, who's going to stop it happening to Riou? Who? Me. That's who!" Nanami set her lips in a firm line, indicating there was to be no arguing over this point. She was going to Rockaxe Castle tomorrow with Riou, or Riou wasn't going to Rockaxe castle tomorrow!

"Fine, Nanami, have it your way. But remember, there are thousands of people who'll give anything to protect your brother, but only a handful who'll do the same for us. You don't have to do everything yourself, you know?"

"I know, I know. Okay, how about this. After tomorrow, I'll leave the army. I don't want to see Riou and Jowy fighting, and I know that's how it's going to end. I'll go to Tinto, or the grasslands, or even Zexen! I'll come back when the war's over, and everything will be fine!"

"Maybe, Nanami. Maybe..."

The End 

Author's note: This is my first fic, and I hope you liked it. I'd really appreciate any comments on how I can improve my writing, my story-telling, and how I can finish off this story would be great. Also, as the summary says, this is not AU. As you can work out from plot elements I have used, the story you have read takes place the day before Nanami refuses to let Riou(Hero2) go to Rockaxe on his own, with disastrous results. You may also have inferred, with references to shops, that the castle is not completed, indicating that not all 108 stars of destiny have been recriuited. Make of this what you will.


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